On each of my last three pre-drywall inspections in Northern Virginia, I have wondered -- is this how builders will be attaching front porch roofs now?

I have been astounded.

Contacting an architect friend of mine with photos, I asked if this is how they are teaching architects to draw stuff up in schools today!

These are three different houses, in three different areas, and three different builders.

Porch Number One

These are the two beams supporting the outside of the front porch roof.

There are no nails, bolts, or straps.

The beams are merely resting there -

securely glued in tightly with poly-foam!

Porch Number Two

These are the two beams supporting the long front porch roof on this house.

These beams are the face of the porch you would see from the street. They are about 35' long.

A bit blurry when cropped, but nonetheless, it is obvious that these beams are not attached to anything.

There isn't even foam on this one!

And they aren't completely inserted or resting on the studs below.

Porch Number Three

This is another outside double beam, on yet a third property.

It has two toe nails into the left beam, and a couple from below.

Of course toe nailing won't stop the beams from being pulled out.

What I have seen in the past is a long ledger beam against the house, bolted to the structure of the house. The roof trusses are then strapped to that ledger beam.

In addition, all protruding double beams were lag bolted or through bolted into the house structure.

In a high wind, hurricane or tornado, inadequate attachment would mean that front porch roof, not terribly heavy as compared to nature, could pull out or fly off!

AND ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONVENIENTLY COVERED WITH DRYWALL IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.

I do not believe this is how an architect drew this up!

For sure I could teach a class at any architecture school, complete with photos, and a sarcastic, funny lesson plan. The title of the class?

THIS IS WHAT YOU DRAW AND THINK PEOPLE SEE. THIS IS HOW CONSTRUCTION "PROFESSIONALS" SEE YOUR PLANS.

My recommendation: I don't know about you, but I find this trend to slap things up and nail gun a house together to be dangerous. It is not professional. It will not last.

Builders, supervisors and construction "professionals" are at fault. It is a scary trend.

The house to the left was built by my grandmother near Chevy Chase Circle off Connecticut Avenue in Washington DC. Beginning in 1908 it took two years to build. The family moved in in 1910. It still has the ORIGINAL wood siding!

On our planet...in real life....in Wisconsin...these things require permits and inspections at various stages...our house was designed and house plans approved with a walk out deck....and had to have separate permits....and fees of course...and inspections.....

No attachmets? No plates anywhere either. That foam and those toe nails will help hold it in place for a couple of months till all the extra weight gets on the front dormers. Oh noy! That will take some work to change out and make right.

I caught Lenn's reblogg of this post. Great post and great point about getting a Home Inspection.

Posted by Gene Riemenschneider, Turning Houses into Homes (Home Point Real Estate) almost 5 years ago

It is schmuck work all around Clint.

Agreed Lenn. Then there are the guys who claim to have had inspections done...

I had a flip yesterday where the guy said he had all the county approvals. My report included over 20 codes I told him the county somehow "missed." When all was said and done, gee, he had pulled no permits. He thought nobody would notice...

Steve - this roof would pull out in short order. My clients, of course, had no idea. They said it looked good to them!

Tom - that this got so far, and almost got covered by drywall is a hideous commentary on the builder in the first photo.